Huddersfield swine flu victim told: Sorry, we haven't got any drugs
Dec 18 2010 by Kevin Core, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Paul Sheldon
A GOLCAR swine flu victim is among those suffering thanks to a shortage of a key antiviral drug.
Paul Sheldon, 59, was diagnosed with the condition on Tuesday but has found that chemists across the town have had no access to stocks of Tamiflu.
The drug is the essential treatment for swine flu, which has seen a resurgence this winter.
Seventeen people have died, all of whom had underlying conditions or were in vulnerable groups.
Mr Sheldon says his doctors and GPs have been frustrated by the fact that there appears to be no stocks of Tamiflu in the north.
He said: “I’m not in a high risk group but when my GP from Fieldhead Surgery visited me on Tuesday he said it was swine flu, I needed this drug, and wrote out the prescription.
“It just feels like flu but maybe with more of a belly ache.
“I went to Milnsbridge Chemist who was very helpful. She made about 15 phone calls and eventually had to say ‘I just can’t get it’.
“The next morning I tried the Shaw’s chemist at Town End with the same result. It’s like no one actually knows where all the stocks have gone, and I still have no idea when I will get it.
“From the people I’ve spoken to, I’ve heard that when this came up the first time the Government took it upon themselves to dish out the Tamiflu rather than through the normal stockists and they sent it to the chemists.
“The epidemic wasn’t as bad as they thought and the chemists were left with lots of it and were asked to send it back.
“Now nobody seems to know where its gone and it’s very hard to get across the north.”
Mr Sheldon went to A+E at the Royal Infirmary but they were also unable to help.
He added: “I’m not one of the people worst affected but it’s a poor state of affairs.”
